Betrayal
by Larissa Hyuga
Summary: Megumi dreams of something she completely forgot and then, when she wakes up, she knows it really happened sixteen years earlier.
1. Dreams

Betrayal

Chapter One- Dreams

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

XxXxXx

She had played the whole afternoon into her house. That was an uncommonly cold day for autumn. Her brother, though, seemed to have had a great time.

When it was near the sunset time, she glanced through the window, while the maid insisted in combing her hair, to observe the two boys running outside. And then, a black carriage came rushing on the path to her house. Her little cinnamon eyes widened in curiosity and she straightened her body to see and listen better.

The two boys stopped running and waited. A man hopped out of the carriage and greeted the boys. His voice was low and calm. Her older brother came inside the house and in few minutes, he appeared outside followed by her father. Megumi observed the surprised look at Ryuusei's face become a worried one. He demanded the boys to enter and when the door slid closed, he looked around and Megumi was fast enough to hide herself. Her father hadn't seen her. And then, he approached the other man. Megumi could only notice he was older than her father but his face was shadowed by the sunset colors.

They both rushed to the carriage and the other man opened the door. Few seconds later, a boy came out of it. He was thin and lean, maybe as old as her older brother, she did not know. She could only tell he had very black hair and was wrapped in something that looked like a blanket. She could no longer see her father's face either but he came near the boy and waited for some seconds, listening what the other man had to tell in his very low voice. Her father only nodded and then, he touched the boy's forehead. The moment that followed, her father had run inside the house and she saw her mother pass by to meet him at the door. They talked in really low voice, but, to Megumi's dismay, the maid came, dragging her brother by the arm and also pushed her to the inside.

"Let's go upstairs. Mama and Papa are busy."

Megumi moaned and looked at her brother's faces. They were as annoyed as her. Everybody wanted to know what was happening and why their father looked so worried.

Upstairs, pretending to be playing with balls and Megumi pretending to be learning how to fold paper cranes, they spent their time. Nobody could hear anything from downstairs for quite a long while. The maid did not let them get close to the door. And then, for their amusement, they heard someone come running upstairs and then, strong steps followed. When the first person passed by the door of the room they were, they could hear it was their mother. They heard her sobs and her weak voice in a cut cry.

The maid could not control them anymore. The children all ran to the door while the maid was blocking their way.

"Mama, Mama!" they cried out. Everything was silent then. They could not even breathe. And then, they recognized their father's voice also whispering. Their mother moaned something like " betrayed" and then, they heard her coming to the door.

"It is nothing, I will come soon. Just… play and obey Osei."

The kids gave an impatient look to Osei, the maid. She looked down and said:

"You heard your mother."

xXx

Hours past the usual dinner time, the children saw their mother open the door. Her face was red just as if she had cried for hours and hours.

"Mama." The boys ran and clung to her legs. She stroked their hair and smiled at them ruefully. Then, she reached out her hand to the little five-year old girl who sat alone across the room.

"Come, Megumi-chan. Let's have dinner."

They went downstairs and found their father already there, ready to eat. The food had also been placed on the low table. As they sat on their cushions, Megumi realized they would have no guests eating that night. Where had the other man and the boy gone?

Her mother sat far away from her father, something absolutely different from their daily meals. The woman also did not look at the man although he sometimes looked at her with the corner of his eyes.

In the middle of the meal, while munching on a rice ball, Megumi noticed there was someone else in the other room. The shoji was not totally closed so she could see, in a very dark spot, the boy she had seen earlier. He seemed to be alone though and he had no blanket around him now. She kept her eyes on him with pure curiosity but he did not turn his face to the dining room not even once.

"Eat, Megumi." It was the demanding voice of her mother who brought her back to reality. She had realized the girl had spent quite a while looking at the boy into the other room.

Blushing, the child grabbed her chopsticks and ate fast.

They were allowed to stay up a few hours after dinner. However, dinner that day had been silent and had taken longer to start, so nobody was really sure if they should already go to bed. Her mother had just vanished after the meal. The boys were unusually quiet and decided to go upstairs on their own. Megumi had spotted her father coming and going into the house but, ten minutes ago, he had gone upstairs and hadn't come back. She was alone, sitting down at the porch as she usually did with all her colored sheets of paper. Although it was cold, the child found extreme happiness in staying some moments in contact with the atmosphere from the garden even under the insistent protests of her mother. That night, though, there was nobody to protest and she felt free. Making sure her red coat was warm enough, she just stood there, folding the papers and eventually, looking at the garden, which had already lost some of the leaves. Others were red and golden.

Megumi saw a shadow passing by, but no noise followed. Her heart pumped and, instinctively, she pulled the sheets close, squeezing the badly done cranes into her small hands. Any other weird move and she would run inside, crying. The shadow passed again but, this time, paralyzed by fear, she saw a boy emerge from behind the trees. It was THE boy.

The little girl sighed. "You scared me."

The boy turned his head to look at the small girl who was talking to him, but he did not respond. Drawn by him, she got closer, she tried to see him in the light.

"Why are you there? Isn't it too cold? Mama says one could get sick where you are." Megumi insisted.

The boy walked to the porch, but he did not enter. He just stood close enough so that the girl could see his face.

She raised her dark eyes to look at him. He was pale, really pale wrapped in that purple scarf, wearing those dark blue clothes. His hair was shiny and black and only then she realized it was tied in a ponytail. "Handsome", she thought. But there was something on that boy, his sad semblance, his disturbing midnight eyes that looked down at her as if she was nothing. After a brief eye contact, the boy turned around and coughed. He coughed until he was breathless.

The girl reached out her small hand to him and he turned to her again with curiosity. "Papa can cure you. He is a very good doctor. Come, don't stay out there in the cold."

He hesitated for long seconds till he decided to place his hand over hers and walk inside with her. He walked to the same room downstairs. Megumi noticed someone had placed only one futon there. The boy sat on the futon and the little girl sat beside him.

"The man that came with you… is he your papa?"

With the light of the lantern on his face, he looked incredibly white. And for her big amusement, she saw his eyes were blue, although shadowed with something cold and sad.

"No." he quickly answered.

" And where is your mama?" she asked in that childish voice of hers.

"Dead. Tuberculosis." He blankly stated.

Megumi's eyes rounded. She did not know what that meant exactly but she knew it was bad. She had seen her father and mother talking about that and she knew it was a very serious sickness.

"I am sick too. But, uh, doctor Takani said it is not tuberculosis. Just a strong cold. But small girls like you should not be near me. Your mother and… your father will not be happy if you get sick."

She looked at him for long whiles. That boy was not older than her older brother and he spoke just like an adult. That made her sad and extremely childish.

"Are you alone?" she asked him and he nodded, his eyes closed.

"Mama said I will never be alone. I have her, I have papa and my brothers. Maybe you are not alone. And your brothers and sisters?"

"I have… none." The pause before saying none was bitter and thoughtful.

She got really sad and full of compassion for that boy. Looking aside, she saw a paper crane, a purple one she had made previously that day. It was not as good as the ones her brothers made but it was the best she had achieved. She got it from the floor and got closer to the boy, bowing before him and handing out the paper crane.

"For you. You are not alone today." She smiled her sweetest smile.

He got the paper crane from her small hands. " Thank you." He said; but he did not smile.

The following second, he turned his head to the other room and then, they both heard a carriage coming. Ryuusei Takani ran down the stairs the other second and opened the shoji, glancing at the boy.

"There you are. Let's go, he is here." He said, shifting his eyes to look at the girl sat by the boy. " Megumi!" he said in a rather restrained voice.

The boy stood up and Megumi followed him with her eyes, standing up when she realized he was going away. She followed her father and from inside, she was the carriage door opening. The boy grabbed a blue sheet of paper and, before stepping outside, folded the most impressive and beautiful paper crane Megumi had ever seen. Her father was waiting outside for the boy to come, but instead of heading to the carriage, he turned around and handed the blue crane to the little girl, that looked at it with sheer amusement.

"Farewell, …"

Megumi was not sure of the last word the boy had said to her. The wind blew stronger and covered his words although she did see his lips moving to say something else than farewell. The other second, he had already entered the carriage and it was already far away.

Then, a hand was placed on her shoulder and carried her inside.

Megumi woke up in the middle of the night felling strange. She sat down on the edge of her bed and looked through the glassy windows. She… she did not remember that day until now. She had just dreamed of it and now she knew it was real. And it had happened sixteen years ago, juts two days before her family had been disarranged. Just two days before her father had been killed, her house had been burnt down, her mother, Osei and her brothers had disappeared. And she had just told that strange boy she would never be alone.

But she was alone. Of all people in the world, there could never be someone as lonely as she was.

xXxXxXx

And here I am starting a new fic. I just got the idea for it last night during Civil Law classes. And NO, this won't be an epic one although it is also during Meiji Era. Or at least, it will be.

Well, the title of this chapter is " Dreams", so that whole part of Megumi's childhood was a dream. But in fact, it was something that happened, something she had partially blocked in her mind for it happened only two days before the big trauma in her life. And then, sixteen years later, she dreams of everything that happens. Oh, almost forgot to say this story is _slightly_ AU. Or at least, I plan it to be.


	2. Disgrace

Betrayal

Chapter Two- Disgrace

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

XxXxXxXx

As she rushed down the stairs, hoping not to look at his face that early in the morning, she heard everyone in that damned mansion seemed to be up and in full charge of what Takeda called responsibilities.

Megumi sighed when, at the end of the stairway, she saw his white-dressed figure standing and smiling at her, smiling that terrible smile in which his eyes became only slits through his glasses.

"Good morning, my darling." He greeted in a lovable voice, that irritating one he knew very well how to fake.

"I am not your darling." She answered annoyed and deviating from his outstretched hand to her.

"Don't be so rude to me this early in this beautiful morning, pretty one." He grabbed her arm as she passed by him with an incredible strength and kept on smiling as if he were touching the most delicate silk, afraid to wrinkle it.

Megumi bit her lip when he grabbed her arm. It hurt but he was not showing he had made any effort at that.

"I have a surprise…" he said in a smile "something I am sure you will appreciate."

Megumi frowned. Besides the pain, because she was now twisting her arm, he did not like his words nor the way he spoke them.

Before she opened her mouth to protest, he dragged her along the living room to the next room, the dining one. The table was set with all kinds of food and, standing at the opposite door, which led to the kitchen, there was a man.

Takeda smiled contently as he saw the other man and made sure the woman had also seen him.

"Oh, Shinomori-san. May you have a good morning."

The man on the other side merely nodded.

Meanwhile, Takeda made sure of making Megumi sit down at the table, right in front of the strange man he now called Shinomori.

Patiently, he sat down with theatrical gestures when unfolding the snow-white napkin.

"My dearest, this is the surprise I told you about." He said looking at Megumi with a demented look. " That man, Shinomori-san, is now in charge of my safety and, of course, your own, much more than mine. He and his men will make sure you are always safe." He widened his smile and looked at Shinomori.

"Shinomori-san. This is my dear Megumi. You already know what you have to do, as I explained to you last night at your arrival. You only had to meet her. You already know the terms, so do your men, as I suppose. That's all, Shinomori-san, I hope we can cooperate for a long time."

Megumi raised her eyes to look better at the man that was now leaving through the kitchen door.

"Is it now, Kanryuu Takeda?" she raised her voice several levels "hiring more of those men to keep me in place, to make you richer, to produce more dru…"

His hand made her shut up. Both her hands came to her left cheek to try to calm the reddish flesh of hers after his slap.

Takeda squeezed the linen napkin into his hands and tossed it onto the table.

"See? Do you see what you make me do?" he placed his elbows on the table and sunk his hands into his black hair. " I don't understand why you always defy me, sweetheart… I always do the best for…"

"YOURSELF!" she screamed and threw her napkin at his face while standing up and going all the way back to the living room.

When she reached the stairway, she heard his annoying voice speaking behind her.

"You are going to your work place now. I want to see you there in twenty minutes, otherwise, you know what is going to happen."

Megumi squeezed the sleeve of her kimono and bit her lip so hard she soon felt the iron-like taste of blood in her tongue.

XxXxXx

Megumi walked through the gardens at evening. She did not like to go to the back garden, she hated to see everything that made her a criminal there; but that one was different. It was so beautiful, so full of flowers. However, it was not like that that night. Autumn had came and made all the flowers wither and fall. All the peaceful green leaves had became, blood-red, passion red, orange and, eventually, gold.

She tried walking silently, stepping carefully on the stone paths. Although they had been swept every day, the employees could not stop the chilly wind from removing all those leaves from the many trees on that garden.

Megumi sat down on a stone bench near the fountain and watched the golden leaves swirling on the water. She pulled her smock closer for the wind was blowing strong that night.

As she had seen, Kanryuu Takeda had left to one of his "business dinners" and, that time, he refused to take Megumi for her bruised arm would not look beautiful on the new satin dress he had chosen for her. A bruise he caused himself days ago while twisting her arm, Megumi thought, but he did not mind at all and kept on talking of it as if it were only her fault for being clumsy and not being a good girl.

With that monster away, she could indulge herself in walking a bit around the gardens. And even, walking down to the hot spring , partially hidden between the trees and stones far away from the sight of the employees, a place where nobody used to go.

The moon was bright and full on the sky, so she did not even need a lantern to guide her into the darkness at that time. Happy for not having to enter the house again, she looked around to certify there was nobody there and ran to where the trees gathered more and more and to where there was no stone path for her to walk on. There were only the beautiful golden leaves all around, leading her to her little pleasure that night. A few more minutes and there she saw the spring.

Megumi first removed her white socks and touched the water with her feet. She smiled as if the water had tickled her but she was only glad it was as warm as it had ever been. And looking around, she was sure nobody else visited that place but her; quickly, before she would feel colder, she took off all her clothes and let her white limbs be soaked into that hot water.

Only those moments she had for herself, to free her mind from the threats and beatings and her miserable life. At that time, she could almost feel fine again, as her hands caressed her body as if reminding herself someone still cared for her a bit.

And she let herself dive more and more till there was only warmth. But, she knew it was getting late and her nightmare would come back anytime. Coming slowly back to the surface, Megumi let go an audible breath and sighed.

When she reached out her hand to retrieve her clothes, Megumi realized there was something wrong. Leaving the water with great speed and dressing up the inner layer of clothes, she knew she was not alone. Everything was silent, but she saw a tall figure leaning against one tree. Although the person was not looking at her, she knew it had been standing there because of her.

"Takeda?" she whispered in fear.

But the person did not answer. No it could not be Takeda. He was too silent and too tall to be him. She grabbed the rest of her clothes and prepared to run when the figure soon materialized in front of her, towering her own person, his back to the full moon.

She was right. He was much taller than her and his skin had a different shade from Takeda's. It had not that green shadow, but it was a bit more tanned than hers. And she dared to look at him in the face only to discover his eyes were two sapphires, eyes of a color and a fury she had never seen in her life. He dressed in black but he had a beige trench coat floating in the cold wind.

Starting to shiver both from cold and fear, she tried to pass through him, but his presence seemed enough to make her feet seem to be stuck on the floor.

"Leave me!" she demanded. What else could a man of Takeda want from her in those circumstances? "Leave me or I will report your master of your disrespect."

The man did not even blink. "I did not disrespect you as far as I am aware of. And do not worry. My men and I do not take advantage of women."

She sighed. "Well, less bad he is not a rapist." She thought.

He stepped aside, allowing her to pass and she walked, trying to look firm and unworried. However, when she arrived to a place where the trees were more separate one from the other, she looked behind and at him.

"You do not need to tell your master what you saw tonight. I will make sure you will have enough of this." She took triangle-folded papers from the sleeve of her kimono and showed to him.

The man's eyes narrowed. That was opium, he knew. He had seen enough of that in his life to be able to tell what it was. As if offended, he looked away and retorted. "We are not fond of these kinds of things."

Megumi's eyes widened. "Weren't they?" Recomposing herself from the unexpected answer she got, she spoke once more, with that fox gleam in her eyes.

"I have gold, jewelries, and money. Tell me your price." She teased.

The man walked her direction and stopped right in front of her. "It is no use trying to bribe me."

Megumi smiled mischievously to him. "Well, everyone has a price. Maybe I could please you with something else…" she said with a wicked look at him. "You would not be taking advantage…"

He walked past her and told her with his deep voice "Go back to the mansion before he arrives. I hear a carriage coming this way. You have something around five minutes."

She widened her eyes and felt pathetic. She had just offered herself to him and he did not even look at her. She just watched as he walked calmly up a small hill that led to the main garden.

"Wait!" she spoke. "There is no way for me to arrive in my room in five minutes, you know it well! Now you have to help me!"

He looked behind and she felt as a spoiled girl. "Why should I help you?"

She fumed. "As far as I am concerned" she made her way walking tremendously fast "you were hired to protect me."

"From your own husband?" he arched a fine black brow.

"He is NOT my husband!" she screamed and walked past him. "Ok, damned be you! Get out of my way if you are not of any help." She walked while tying her outer kimono.

And then, she just heard rushed steps and wind coming from behind her and she felt a cold hand on her wrist, dragging her up the hill.

"Come." He said and kept on running.

"Wait, wait, I can't make it! You are too fast and these clothes won't allow me to run this much!" she spoke and panted while running.

The man stopped and listened.

"We have little time. If you can't run, just hold on to me."

Timidly, she approached and placed her arms around his neck "Excuse me…" she said blushing. But he did not seem to be affected by her touch.

"Let's go!" he said and then she felt that cold sensation on her stomach as she realized he had magically climbed on a tree and was now jumping from tree to tree with great easiness even when he had a woman hanging on his neck. His left hand was around her waist, making sure she would not slip and fall. Megumi closed her eyes for she was getting dizzy. She just new they were going faster and faster and getting closer and closer to the house because she could tell there was more light around them. And soon, the smell of trees disappeared and the sound of wood being stepped changed to marble being stepped on.

"You can open your eyes." He said too close to her. " And Takeda is about to come upstairs."

Still dizzy, Megumi opened her eyes slowly and saw she was on the porch of her own room. The glass door was open wind was making the white curtains blow strong.

Megumi was holding so strong to his neck her fingers now hurt and they seemed to be petrified. Shyly, she let go of him and walked inside. He was still on the porch when she closed the door. But she kept on looking at him and got very near the glass to say "thank you" soundlessly.

The following second, the man had disappeared and Megumi realized Kanryuu was happily coming up the stairs.

She sat down on the dresser bench and started combing her wet hair and putting perfume on.

Kanryuu opened the door with a wide smile on his lips. He looked down at her and came closer.

"Everyone missed you, my beauty." He passed his hands over her shoulder and bowed over her and looked at both their images reflected on the mirror. " I missed you more than anyone… more than ever." The tip of his nose brushed her cheek and went down to her neck. " But I have something for you." He said and then his hand went into his pocket and took a black wooden box from there. He opened it and showed the content to her with great satisfaction. Megumi, on the other hand, did not even look at what he was presenting her.

"Come on, my dearest. It will look so good on you. Red always match you perfectly." He said while taking the ruby choker from inside the box and placing it on Megumi's neck. Still standing behind her, he removed his white gloves and placed them over the dresser, touching, then, the neck of her kimono and opening it a bit, exposing the creamy skin of her chest. Then he looked at the mirror and smiled. " I love the way it contrasts with this milky skin of yours."

Megumi turned her head to the other side, showing him she disgusted the gift as well as she disgusted his touch. He bowed to kiss her jaw line as his hands caressed the gems incrusted on her new choker. "Now, if you follow me, there is something else I wanted to give you." He stood up and lifted her hand.

With the most bored expression in her face, she looked at him and mechanically said:

"I am tired. I worked a lot today."

The man grinned. " Hehe, well, I suppose so, I can always ask Shinomori-san if you really did."

Megumi felt her stomach turn when he mentioned that name but she tried to look as bored as before.

" And if you work so much today, it is one more reason you deserve what I want to give you. Come." He pulled her hand slightly but she did not move.

He let go of her arm and narrowed his eyes to look at her. " Sweet Megumi, I am not **_asking_** you to come, I am **_telling_** you to come and you will obey me." His voice was extremely calm. Then, he grabbed her arm with extra strength that made her fall from the seat, her kneels on the floor.

She could have cried but she swore she would not give him that victory. Then he came and put her to stand and grabbed her along the infinite hallway to a room with double closed doors. He placed one of his hands on the gold knob and opened it.

Megumi knew that room well. That night, the bed curtains were redcolored as well as the covers, except for the inner sheets, that should be only white.

Kanryuu locked the doors and then walked to the bed to take a red thing lying over the crimsom covers. He walked back to Megumi, his steps muffled on the expensive rug and then he placed the red thing, which Megumi discovered to be a western hat, on her head. From the hat, there was a thin transparent red fabric falling, veiling her eyes and face.

Kanryuu looked at her and smiled too wide. " You are wonderful, you are superb, my dear one."

Megumi did not even want to figure out how she was looking. Kanryuu lifted the veil and held her face with only one hand, lifting it, pressing her cheeks.

"Now, some more red lipstick, I know you like it. You are a princess." And looking at her from top to bottom, he decided his creation was not good enough for he frowned. He took her by the hand and made her walk around the well-furnitured room and made her stop near the bed.

"Well, only this kimono of yours is not matching with all the garnets and the delicate fabrics I cover you with." His hand quickly went to the tie of her kimono and undid it. Megumi closed her eyes, feeling she was the worst thing on Earth.

Kanryuu usually took longer and longer in his torture of undressing his precious doll, but that night he seemed to be so enchanted by the red garments Megumi was forced to wear that he ripped off her last kimono and only then he turned to smile again, whispering "Perfect!" and then looking at her veiled face.

Megumi felt his ungloved hand touching the fair skin of her waist and pushing her to the bed. She tried to be a statue, but he was much stronger than her. He came to kiss her but she turned her face away. She knew another slap would come, as they always used to come every night or every time she refused to let him kiss her, but, strangely enough, that night, he did not try any further and no slap came.

She swore she would not close her eyes, and as every night, she just turned her face away and waited silently for him to stop it. That night, she did not even blink. Not even when she thought she was dying for Kanryuu grabbed her neck with such a strength she could not breathe. He wanted her to be his doll, that night she would be a perfect lifeless doll for him. She just looked at the starry sky outside for the curtains were not totally closed and wished she could indeed be lifeless before he finished.

Unfortunately, she did not have such luck. When he was over, she felt his hand hold her jaw again and force her to look into his eyes.

"So pretty but too cold. You don't know how to satisfy a man, Megumi." He said bitterly, releasing her face to come back to the previous position and then, going off from the top of her, getting his clothes and slamming the door when he left.

Only then she blinked and when she did, a tear fell and to wet pillow.

XxXxXx

Ok, ok… where's Aoshi? He is right here. Hihihi

As you may have realized, the story takes place on the year before Megumi meets Kenshin and the others. Well, not much to say, I am sorry.

And thank you very much for reading and reviewing or only reading this story.


	3. Dormant

Betrayal

Chapter Three- Dormant

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

XxXxXxXx

It was one of those mornings she hated. It was particularly cold for winter was rushing and trying to white everything as soon as possible.

The drapery was wide open and the glass window allowed the morning light to come in and hurt her eyes. The day was bright although the sky was gray. One of those mysterious days at the end of autumn. Slowly, she dressed up and left that godforsaken room. Besides her atelier, that room was the place she hated the most in that huge house.

Megumi slammed the door as she left the room and walked that long hallway. She looked both sides and, apparently, there was nobody around to see her in her disgrace. But she did not know why, she instinctively grabbed the collar of her kimono and closed it tighter around her neck as if it could provide her any comfort, any decency in that so miserable condition. And surely, she could not see, she could not tell but she knew she was not alone. In the shadows, somewhere around, someone was hidden, following her with its eyes. The person wanted her to know it was there, but did not wish to be seen.

She rushed into her bedroom for it seemed to be a safer place. As usual, there was a bath set for her. In no time, she would have to restart living her daily hell.

xXx

Winter had come and now everything was freezing and white. It was peaceful and yet anguishing to look to the vastness of all that white on the gardens and the plain surroundings.

Megumi could not wander outside much more nor bathe herself in the spring. It was too cold and snowing too much for that. However, when the night was clear, she usually took a walk outside before sleeping.

Happily, she had found a way to be far from Kanryuu's grip. That made her smile inside as she remember it and made sure her "salvation" was well set. That night, however, she could not walk outside. It was cold, the sky was cloudy but there was no rain and no snow. She dressed an amazing black dress. A Swiss couple was their guest and of course, she had to stay there, smile and look pretty to them while Kanryuu held his "business". Less bad than being locked making opium though. She did not know Takeda's secret affairs for he usually talked to many foreigners in other language she did not understand. That night wouldn't be different. And, as always, the man wanted her to look absolutely stunning for his own benefit and to impress the visitors.

A maid knocked on her door telling the carriage with the guests had just arrived and that Takeda demanded her presence immediately.

Before leaving, she looked at herself reflected in the mirror and smiled confidently. If all of them wanted her to look beautiful, that evening, she was shinning. Her hair was tied in a long braid, her bangs were side-parted. Her white skin held rosy cheeks and deep red lips. Her long dress was made of fine satin and laces and it exposed the skin of her creamy chest. She had grown used to those clothes, western ones, already.

When she appeared at the top of the stairway, the two men on the living room turned their necks to look at her. The guests had not come in yet. The first man was Takeda, dressed in one of his impeccable white suits. Beside him, there was Shinomori Aoshi who, surprisingly enough, was not wearing his trench coat. Takeda smiled widely when he spotted the woman coming down. The other man merely looked at her for a few seconds and then, went away. Kanryuu was so mesmerized by Megumi that he apparently forgot what he had been talking to Shinomori before, what made the other frown a bit before leaving. Megumi could read Kanryuu's expression well and she found him a complete idiot. The other man, however, was a mystery for her. As he walked inside the house, he passed by the stairway side and, for her amusement, glanced at her while passing. Then, he disappeared.

There were three months already that man had been introduced to her and she could not tell a word about him yet. Only that his look was disturbing an unsettling. And that he was handsome.

Kanryuu grabbed her hand and kissed it. The second after it, he pulled her to the door to greet the guests who were just arriving.

It was a couple. The man was rather old, at about 60 years, perhaps. He had white straight hair carefully pulled behind. His intense green eyes and his pink face made him look like a good old grandfather. But he was holding businesses with Takeda, so, he could not be that nice. He smiled widely and greeted them happily.

The lady was young. She had wonderful red hair, all curled, tied up in a half-ponytail. She wore a beautiful blue dress that emphasized more her sapphire eyes and her flaming hair. She was young, too young to be the wife of that man. Megumi could have mistaken her for his daughter, but, indeed, she was his wife. Right the opposite of her husband, the woman was shy and her smile showed it more and more.

The night went on with incredible boredom. Kanryuu and the older man talked cheerfully in that language Megumi did not know. She could only smile to the other woman who shared the same couch with her. And, of course, offer them appetizers before the main dinner.

Dinner also followed the path. Only Kanryuu and the man talked although the man exchanged some words with his wife and, Megumi suspected they had also talked of herself for the older man smiled at her and his wife blushed. Kanryuu chuckled and looked at the other man with a rather superiority on his face.

The foreign woman left the table, most probably to go to the toilet a bit after the desert, a blackberry pie, was served. The men took the chance to go back to the living room and to its comfortable couches and armchairs and the great warmth of the fireplace. Megumi had no choice but to follow. Besides all, trying something wicked, she knew, Kanryuu approached her and passed his arm around her waist so they walked back together to the living room.

She didn't know his plans exactly, but whatever they were, she would not let him make them come true. When the lady had returned from the toilet, Megumi decided to offer them some liquor. By Kanryuu's face, she knew he completely approved her behavior that night. Yes, she was just perfect, she knew.

Megumi stood up and walked past the guests and Kanryuu to the side room where the drinks were. She looked all around to make sure nobody was looking and then, hid herself behind one of the many curtains. She filled two glasses of liquor, and with fine and graceful gestures, she went back to the room and offered them to the guests, who accepted them with a smile. Then, she walked to the side room again and filled two more glasses. Her heart was pumping.

There was nobody looking, the two foreigners were probably praising the fine liquor and Kanryuu was all smiles. She moved her hand to her chest and her agile fingers sneaked between her breasts to retrieve a small vial filled with a white powder. She carefully deposited some grams of it into one of the glasses and then mixed.

However, before she had the time to put the glass back between her breasts, a gloved hand came from behind the curtains and grabbed her arm.

She could not scream or her plan would fail. Then, she swallowed her surprise and turned behind to check who was the owner of such a grip. She met two blue eyes glaring at her, his face showed her a look of suspiciousness and they were so close, too close and it made her fear.

His hand was faster than she could imagine and in no second he had the vial, but his other hand paralyzed her and his body did not let her run away for he pressed her against the wall.

Shinomori analyzed the powder for several seconds with her eyes wide open before of his.

"I am doomed, I know…" was the first thought that came to her mind and Megumi imagined all the punishments that Kanryuu would inflict on her.

"To sleep" he whispered.

Megumi nodded, confirming. " You know these …"

He did not let her finish: " I know many things."

His training with Oniwabanshuu made him know poisons, drugs and all kinds of substances.

"Go." He moved his lips and let her free.

Megumi's palms were sweat. " Y-yes…" she had realized the man had vanished and she could not believe it.

But nothing would make her stop now. She had to go on, even after Shinomori had blown her cover. She took the two glasses and offered the "powdered" one to Takeda. He accepted with a smile.

Megumi sat back on the couch and looked anxiously at Kanryuu, studying the exact moment his lips would touch the liquid. It seemed to take hours, days, till he lifted the glass and his lips touched the brim. The liquid was coming slowly as he moved his hand.

"Excuse me, Takeda." a deep voice echoed in the room and everyone turned their necks to see Shinomori Aoshi entering the room with long strides.

Megumi chocked on her own liquor.

"Yes, Shinomori?" Kanryuu laid his glass on the side table. Megumi realized Aoshi's eyes watching the drink. It was untouched.

She thought of disappearing that time. What kind of creature was that man that had let her go one minute before only to unmask her in front of Kanryuu and his guests like that?

Megumi stood up and excused herself, saying she had to go to the toilet. Her heart was beating so fast and loud she thought she would faint anytime. Aoshi's eyes lingered on her and before she could leave the room, he spoke once again.

" Hannya just brought the papers you were waiting for." And then, he handed a folder in to Takeda.

Kanryuu smile widely and Megumi let go a breath and could give one more step to the toilet.

She saw, from behind the columns, Shinomori leave and Kanryuu smile and show the content of the folder to the foreign man.

"It was a close call" she thought and when, the following second, she opened her eyes, she saw Shinomori pass in front of her, with those blue eyes of his looking at her. She did not know what to do, so to dismiss her blushing, she smiled to him. And he did not smile back.

Having nothing else to do, Megumi returned to the living room and stood there until it was necessary. Kanryuu had already taken the "powdered" liquor and many other glasses after it. She had also been carried away and drank a bit more than she should, but she did not care that much. At that given time, Kanryuu was trying to cover the many yawns not to look impolite in front of the guests; however, they drank as much as him, and as the night went deeper, they seemed not to care that much about formalities anymore.

A few hours later, the guests went away. The man had a big smile on his face and the woman thanked both Megumi and Kanryuu, in Japanese, for Megumi's amusement. After closing the door, Kanryuu held Megumi's hand and pulled her close to him, much for her dismay. She could feel his breath on her neck and she closed her eyes, not for she liked it, but only not to look at his pathetic face at that moment.

"You are so pretty tonight, my dearest Megumi."

The tip of his nose brushed the skin right under her jaw line and she turned her face away.

"So pretty…" he continued whispering as his other hand slid over her neck and collarbone.

"A pity this dinner today worn me out. I am so tired I would not be able to dedicate myself to you as much as you deserve, my pretty one."

She could feel his disgusting moist lips laying several light kisses on her neck. Her mind tried to take her elsewhere, to make her turn off right there so she could not realize what was happening anymore.

He held her tight and she opened her eyes for she thought he would choke her. And then, the following second, he let go of her and walked to the stairway, yawning and merely whispering "good night" to her.

When Takeda disappeared, she smiled. Everything had gone the way she predicted that night even though Shinomori had almost ruined everything. Talking of Shinomori, she still needed to thank him for what he did.

It was late, past 2 a.m., as she could see on the huge clock into the dining room. The other rooms of the house were freezing, quite the opposite of the warm living room. Megumi walked through corridors she barely knew, some she had only visited a couple of times during the years she lived in that house.

The entire house was soaked in darkness, only the pale moon could light through the glassy windows and give a ghastly blue dim light in all that coldness. After walking and walking through corridors that seemed never ending, she gave up trying to find any way out. She was lost. That part of the house was strange to her. There were two lanterns lit ahead at the very end of the corridor but she was not so sure if she should proceed. Megumi did not know that way ahead and she was not that certain she knew how to come back. That damned house looked like a maze!

And then, the doctor decided to turn around, placing her hands on the walls to guide her back into darkness, leaving the lighten path behind, going back to where she had come from.

As she turned a corner, she was not sure if it was really that way. And her hands touched wood. It was a door. She tried to touch the other side so that she could go on, but then, suddenly, she saw that there was light into that room. But no noise. Whatever there was inside, she did not want to know. At that time, in that darkness she was starting to feel afraid. However, she did not have time to walk farther. The door swung open and a shadow towered a scared Megumi. She let go a shriek and then a pair of strong hands silenced her and dragged her inside. The next second, she was locked.

She had been placed with her back on the in side of the door. The man, on the other hand, walked far from her.

"What are you doing walking here?" his deep voice froze her.

That time, she did not know what to do. It was Shinomori. Accidentally, she had discovered his room. It was all dark. The only light was coming from a lantern placed too near the door. Now she saw he had gone to the back of the room, and she could see him sitting there in the shadows on an armchair.

"I…" she raised her head and made her voice firmer " I accidentally found this corridor."

He lifted his eyebrow.

"And now I suggest you leave immediately or you will have problems."

She bit her lip.

"Will you tell Kanryuu I am wandering around the house, going to places I should not go?"

"You are trying my good will, woman. I haven't told Takeda of your little tricks only because I..." he stopped and looked at her.

"Because what?" her voice raised two levels

He could almost smirk. " Because I do not think that so-called innocent women should be beaten up. However, you show to be not that innocent as I used to think you were."

She hushed and pressed her hands agains her chest. Facing the floor, she turned around and walked to the door. Aoshi walked in long strides behind her so that he could reach her and block the door.

Megumi looked at him with worn out eyes.

"Do not worry, I won't put you in trouble." she whispered as he moved his arm from the door so she could open it.

"So won't I." He replied when she was almost disappearing in darkness. " One of my man will make sure you return safe to your room."

Aoshi closed the door and returned to the armchair. On the table, many folders still lied: Hannya had gone on field work and gathered all kinds of information about every person that lived or worked in the house. Aoshi had read all of them with great attention. All of them but one, the one that had the name "Megumi" on it. He trusted Hannya more than he trusted anyone, but, he wanted to know every detail of Megumi by himself. That woman, he knew, would still cause him many problems in that house. She meant danger. He did not know why but, that time, he wanted to run the risk.

XxXxXx

There had been days since she had last seen him. Now, she only saw the masked man they called Hannya.

Her day was always the same, locked in the basement dealing with those damned things. Takeda had traveled two days ago and she thanked heaven for this so she could be at least a bit free.

At the end of the morning, she spotted, through the dining room window,Hannya walking outside. Megumi ran to the door and ignored the cold wind.

"Hannya!"

The masked man looked at her but did not move. " Anything wrong, Megumi-san?"

She saw the man would not come closer.

" I want to leave, I need to go to town in order to buy some things for personal use."

He stopped for some seconds, facing the woman, trying to analyze her features, her voice.

"Well, I will talk to the Okashira."

"Thanks" she mumbled and walked inside. When Kanryuu was away, she was allowed to rest for half hour after lunch. Megumi walked to her room and lied on the bed.

Some minutes after, she heard someone knocking on the door.

"It is Shinomori Aoshi."

She ran to the door and soon, his tall figure towered her.

"Yes?" she was half-hidden behind the door and he still stood on the doorway.

"Hannya told me you need to go to town." He looked down at her.

"Yes..."

"Get ready for the carriage will leave in ten minutes."

Megumi widened her eyes. Never had she imagined that man would let her leave so easily.

With no further talk, he saw him leave and she closed the door.

In no time, Aoshi spotted the woman downstairs, walking to the door. He was already outside, near the carriage, waiting for her.

Megumi stopped beside him.

" I am going to accompany you." He informed and opened the door for her to enter.

She said nothing. Megumi entered and made herself comfortable. Aoshi came right after her and sat down across from her.

He observed he kept his eyes closed all the way to the city and never talked. She was not going to engange in conversation with him anyway either both for shame and a bit of fear.

He only opened his eyes when the carriage stopped.

She seemed to be astonished by seeing people coming and going downtown. Although it was a cold winter early afternoon, the streets of Tokyo were never empty at that time. She knew he would not talk, that he would just follow every step she walked but, strange as it was, she did not feel so bad to have him right behind her.

Aoshi had to go in and out many clothing stores. He did not understand why the urgency on that since Kanryuu bought her presents, mostly clothing, frequently. She also made sure to enter every store that would sell perfumes. He was finding quite different to accompany a woman in such errands. She tried all essences she could before picking a blue glass that contained a transparent liquid. His nose told him immediately, even though he was not that near, that the smell was the one of roses. "Just like her" he imagined.

Outside the mansion, Megumi looked totally different. The woman who was always gloomy, always hiding, was now smiley. And her smile was radiant, beautiful and so pure that it could make that winter afternoon a lot warmer.

"She means trouble." Aoshi thought. At the same time, after receiving the package from the salesperson, Megumi turned to him and her smile made his skin burn.

"We can go now, Shinomori-san. I am done with my errands."

He only nodded and both of them headed back to the carriage. That was completely awkward for it was one of the extremely few times in his life he felt he could not say any word.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Oh, ages have passed since my last update. Shame on me. I was (am) so busy with university! Graduation is coming in less than 2 months. Shame on me again for 90 of this chapter had been written a looooooooooong time ago and I completely forgot about it! Well, better late than never, right?

Thank you : bernme68, KuroKitsune-chan e Hydragyrum for your kind reviews.


	4. Triangle

Betrayal

Chapter Four-

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

WARNING: This chapter contains violence and some coarse language.

XxXxXxXx

The wind was blowing with great strength outside. On her bed, Megumi waited until dinner would be ready. Kanryuu had left right after lunch and she wished a lot he would not return that day.

Her glass windows were violently shaken. She raised her eyes to look at them. They were closed, the curtains were in place but she could see snow had started falling outside.

"I hope he does not come." She closed her eyes and prayed. Then she rolled on the bed and hugged one of the pillows.

Megumi closed her eyes and her mind took her to the previous afternoon.

While leaving her workplace, Megumi had tripped and would fall if it were not for a strong pair of arms that broke her fall.

She hadn't seen anyone around and she swore she would hit the floor. But, out of the blue, a tall man dressed in black appeared in front of her and before she could realize, her head was only few inches far from his chest.

Everything was extremely quick, but she could still feel the strength of his grasp on both her arms. She could still feel the smell that came from him, a smell that told her he had just bathed.

Blushing heavily, he had helped her stand up again. She never looked at him after that but she could feel those blue eyes on her figure.

"Be careful." He said to her and then walked past her and disappeared into one of the many corridors that were behind her.

She was probably crazy but it seemed to her his words were not sharp or hard that time. She had, somehow, longed to listen to that voice again and when it happened, she was now imagining things.

The maid knocked on the door and she came back to the reality.

"Lunatic" she thought to herself before going out of bed and heading downstairs.

xXxXx

Because of the blizzard that had happened two days before, the road that led to the mansion was unreachable for many many hours.

Megumi was sitting around the fireplace at the living room when the door swung open and Takeda Kanryuu entered.

The woman frowned and closed the book she had been reading for hours, showing great displeasure with his arrival.

He came in cursing and removing snow from his suit.

"You won't believe the amount of snow outside, Megumi. I had to stay at an inn because there was no way to return to this damn house."

She merely looked at him with a great annoyance in her eyes and said nothing. She noted his suit, once pure white, was stained with earth and it was also wet.

"And now my suit is ruined! Does anyone know how expensive it was? And now it is R-U-I-N-E-D!" Takeda shook his hands violently.

He was so consumed in his complaint he had not seen she had stood up and walked away.

She was already upstairs when she heard him scream

"I will only bathe and come down to dinner. Be here and have dinner with me."

Megumi let go a breath and went into her room. She ran to the dresser that was in the corner of the room and opened the middle drawer. Her hands quickly worked through the fabric of many clothes and finally her fingers touched the cold glass of the vial she kept there: the one that has saved her so many nights.

Some minutes later, the maid knocked on her door, announcing dinner was set. Megumi walked down the staircase, passed through the living room and entered the dining room. The food smelled good as always. She almost squealed for Kanryuu was not there yet but his glass of wine was already poured.

Looking at all directions, she made sure she was alone. She also could not near absolutely anything from any room of the house.

Her white fingers crawled under the inner layers of her fine silk kimono and retrieved the vial. Megumi let the powder fall and then mixed the wine, making sure there had been nothing on the bottom of the glass.

She kept the vial at the same place from where she had taken it from and made her way to her seat.

Not long before that, she heard footsteps approaching and soon, she saw the figure of Takeda coming from behind the curtains that separated the entrance of the dining room from the living room.

He seemed a bit less annoyed with the whole situation. He walked to his seat and soon the maid came to serve him food.

Megumi watched him carefully. He just ate and ate. His hand approached the glasses but, instead of wine, he reached out for the glass of water.

She arched a brow.

"You are not drinking tonight."

He looked at her, but did not lay the fork and knife down.

"I already have enough headaches for today."

"Darn it" she thought. If she had known, she could have put the powder on his water too. She spent dinner mentally cursing herself. In fact, she was so angry her appetite had been spoiled.

Kanryuu, on the other hand, ate a lot. Realizing he had run out of water, Megumi thought she could still have a last chance.

"Care for some more water?" she asked.

Takeda lifted the fine linen napkin from his lap and pressed it against his thin lips.

"No, thank you."

Megumi sunk into the cushioned chair. Her last chance did not come.

After putting his napkin on the table, Kanryuu entwined his fingers and put his elbows on the table, resting his chin on the top of his hand. He eyes Megumi for several seconds.

"What?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"I do not see why you are so worried that I don't drink tonight."

She swallowed. "It is nothing, just that I think I never saw a day you did not drink."

His eyes were still on her and he had a smirk on his lips that seemed to pierce her.

"I am retiring for the night already." She excused herself and left the table, walking upstairs with long strides.

Kanryuu left the table in an abrupt way, making the chair he had been sitting on fall. Scared, Megumi started to run.

"You are not getting away from me, Megumi." He ran upstairs after her.

Running in that silk kimono was terrible. Looking ahead, she still had a kind of long way until she reached her bedroom.

Kanryuu was getting closer. She did not know how he managed to run so fast after eating so much. When she finally turned the corner and entered the hallway that led to her room, she felt safe for a moment.

But a hand came from behind and grabbed her hair with great strength, making her fall on her back.

It was Kanryuu. He had a sinister smile on his lips. Megumi's hand went to her hair as an attempt to get rid of his grip but he was stronger.

"You think you can run and hide, uh?" his other hand grabbed her neck.

She did not know how, but a second later, he had made her stand up.

"Let go of me!" she screamed in fury.

Grabbing her arm so had it hurt her, Kanryuu now walked back on his trail and dragged her along. She tried to kick and force resistance, but he was stronger although his thin body did not show that.

Her _geta_ lied behind her, at the spot she had fallen when he pulled her hair. Her perfectly clean white socks covered tumbling feet over the crimson tapestry.

"Let go of me, Takeda!" she screamed louder as she realized where he was taking her.

The response to her scream came fast. He threw her against the wall, but never released her arm.

"Shut this damn mouth of yours. Besides, it is no use screaming. Who do you think is coming for your help?"

When her body met the wall, she felt a wave of pain run through her back and her head. Dizzy, her resistance had decreased and Takeda dragged her by the arm to the double door room. He opened the door with a kick and threw Megumi inside.

She landed on the floor, near the double bed.

He locked the door, kept the key somewhere she could not see and then approached her form on the tapestry.

She coiled her body as she noticed him coming near.

"Stand up." He demanded.

She hid her face into her hands.

"I told you to stand up!" he screamed and came over her, dragging her by both wrists.

Once he had made her stand up, he felt pleased for he could see a hint of fear in her eyes. His hand grabbed her throat and he put his face extremely close to her. Megumi gasped.

"I know it all, your little rascal." He whispered on her face. " I know you have been drugging me."

Her eyes widened.

Kanryuu smirked and walked forward, towards the wall, still grabbing her neck though.

"You think you are smart. But you are not smart enough. You thought your stupid plan would work every night, uh?"

He let go of her throat and, instinctively, she turned her back to him, looking for a space to flee. However, she was coughing hard.

Taking advantage for she was short in air, Kanryuu pushed her again against the wall and this time he made sure she had hit her head strongly. When she fell to her knees, he could see the golden patterns of the rich crimson wallpaper were now stained with blood.

Megumi felt a sting of pain in her head. Her tremble fingers went to her right temple and she could feel her bangs were damp with blood. She put her fingers before her eyes and, despite her blurred vision, she could spot the red blood on her fingertips.

"Does it hurt?" he asked in a sarcastic tone. He bowed and grabbed her hair once more, earning a painful expression from her in return.

Kanryuu threw Megumi on the bed and, this time, she thanked she had fallen on the soft mattress. Her back already hurt enough.

He removed his shoes and crawled over her, sitting over her hips, making sure she could not move. She was pretty dizzy and could not react with full strength. Slowly removing his white gloves, and throwing several strands of black hair on the floor as he removed them, he eyed her.

His hands, now free from the gloves, went up over her belly and breasts to the opening in her kimono. He opened it violently, tearing the embroidered blue silk.

As Megumi seemed to be less dizzy, she got two strips of the recently torn kimono and tied both her hands to the bed head.

He saw fury in her eyes. She still had a white yukata covering her from exposure. However, Kanryuu did not have the intentions to let her keep it for long. His hand crawled into the opening right above the tie and he smiled when his fingers met her skin. Going upper, he touched the glass vial, hidden in a secret inner pocket of her yukata. Quickly, he took it from where it was and put the vial right in front of her eyes.

"So, it was with this that you've been drugging me." He smashed the fragile vial with his hand and the powder fell over her face and several shards of glass hit her face and slid to the bed.

She did not move. Kanryuu stood motionless on the top of her, watching her face carefully. Unexpectedly, she saw him lift his hand and slap her fully on the left cheek.

"You are the weed here, Megumi, not me. Do you think there is anything noble in this resistance of yours? You are my kin and every day you give me more proofs of that."

She spitted on his face and that made his smile disappear.

"Do not compare me with you." She growled.

He laughed hysterically.

"What makes you think you are so good? You are nothing but a tool for me, nothing but a cheap whore." Takeda ripped off her with yukata, making her naked.

He caught a shard of the vial that was near his knee and slid it on the white skin of her belly, near her navel. In no time, the blood came and he smiled.

"I love torturing you. I love when you bleed because it shows me I have power over you, Megumi."

It was relieving when he left from sitting over her hips. Besides the pain, she was now cold and tried her best not to start shivering in front of him.

Kanryuu sat by her side, his finger buried into his hair, for long minutes. However, he listened to her teeth grinding and that seemed to inject new strength into his sadism.

"This time I will not remove my glasses because I want to watch your suffering. I want to see this pretty face of yours in pain…"

Kanryuu made her turn on the bed, made her lie with her belly on the mattress.

"Are you cold?" he asked as he pressed her face against the soft sheets, trying to make her run out of air. Then he released her head and watched as she panted.

Megumi had started to shake. She did not want to look at Takeda anymore, so she decided to keep her eyes closed. She would endure the pain. A lacerating pain that made her scream loud.

Kanryuu laughed.

"Now you show me your pain." He pulled her hair. " Look at me! I want to see what's in your eyes this time."

And, although she had fought to control, she could not. Thick tears rolled down her face, mixed with the powder and hit the mattress.

Seeing her cry made Takeda euphoric. He pulled her hair harder and, with the other hand, he dug his nails deep into her flesh.

She thought she would die. Not only for her limbs were starting to get numb because of the cold but also because Kanryuu had gone wild and now, after pulling her hair and almost bending her neck behind, he encircled her throat and he did not stop strengthening the grip.

She coughed and gasped. Her vision became blurry and she felt her lungs hurt so bad they seemed to be burning. Her fingers curled into her palms and she widened her eyes. She was dying.

In absolute pleasure, Kanryuu left the bed and watched her. Cold… maybe he had killed her. The mix of sensations was like a punch to his stomach and he felt sick and afraid when he considered he could have killed her.

Her eyes were not completely closed and her mouth was open. He approached her and saw she was still breathing. Relief. He did not know what he would have done if he had killed her.

"I fucking hate and love you, Megumi. You can't understand, I can't understand." He put her hair far from her face, behind her ear and caressed her swollen cheek.

Gathering his pants and dressing them, he kept his eyes on her. Then, he went to the bed head and undid the ties, releasing her writs. He noticed they were bruised.

He had made her bleed and that gave him pleasure. As if it were an act of mercy, he got a thick blanket and covered her unconscious body.

xXxXxXx

"Did I die?"

It was the first thought that hit her mind when she widened her eyes and filled her lungs the most she could. The sharp pain in her lungs told her she was not dead. When she moved her head, she could state that for sure. Pain seemed to be coming from every muscle, every cell of her body.

In flashbacks, she remembered what had happened that night. The room was in absolute darkness. Megumi tried to move her body beneath the blanket and she felt the shards of the glass vial scratching her skin and entering her flesh.

No, she had not died. That pain was too real and, in flashes, she could see the scenes in her mind.

Megumi fought the pain and stood up. Looking around she could see her clothes had been torn, there was nothing for her to dress.

Slowly, she walked to the bathroom hoping there could be some water for her to wash herself. The bathroom would be completely empty if it weren't for a jar with water. She threw the water over her head and she started shaking at the same moment. The water was freezing but she did not mind. She wished there could be enough water for her to try to wash away her shame and her tears.

Back to the room, the only thing available to cover her body was the blanket. Megumi wrapped the red blanket around her body and walked to the door. She saw Kanryuu had let the door partially open.

The corridor was dark. There were few lanterns lit. Everything was dead silent. She walked on the expensive rugs, wishing she could go to her room soon. With luck, there would be a bath prepared for her. However, it would be terribly cold too.

While passing in front of one of the huge glass windows, Megumi realized she was not alone. She coiled into the blanket and stood aware. However, the person did not move and did not speak.

She kept on walking slowly and trying not to fall but the sensation of being followed was killing her. Suddenly, she stopped and she saw the shadow moving.

"What do you want?" she growled " Who the hell are you? Leave me alone!"

Megumi did not expect anyone to come out of the shadows just because she had said so. It could be anyone. With Kanryuu gone and not knowing if there was anyone around to come for her help, she decided she should run.

A pair of dark shoes came out of the shadows, followed by a pair of lean legs. Soon she could see it was Shinomori.

Megumi frowned and another tear fell.

"What do you want with me? Did you come to laugh at my face, is it? Or finish the job?"

The man was silent. He looked her in the eyes and she could not read his expression as always.

Aoshi took a step forward and he realized she took a step back.

His eyes were so dark. But at that time she guessed he wanted her to read them. And she did. She saw in his eyes that he was not there to mock or to cause any harm to her. The dark blue of his eyes was not of pity, it was reconfirming, it was almost sweet.

He kept on coming closer and she decided not to back up anymore. He was so close she could feel the warmth of his coat almost touching her.

"Excuse me." he said before touching her shoulders and she wished he hadn't realized she trembled when he did so. His strong hand lent her courage to walk ahead " I will take you to your room."

Her limbs relaxed for a while and she let him guide her through the dark corridors. He opened the door for her and took her in before she could realize. The bedroom was clean and warm

"The bath is prepared. There are clean clothes inside." He said with his deep voice.

Megumi wrapped the rags around her in an attempt to look decent in his eyes.

"Thank you…" she mumbled. She had questions to make but she guessed she was not in the position to make any.

"I will fetch something to clean your wounds" he said.

She coiled more and more into the rags, hiding her wrists, before stepping into the bathroom.

Megumi abandoned what once was a kimono on the floor. When her toes touched the surface of the hot water in the bathtub, a wave of calmness went up her body and she let herself be taken under the mirror-like comfort of the hot liquid.

He wondered if he should wait for her to get out of her bath. She was taking long and he was not sure if it would be appropriate to be there when she re-entered the room. Strangely enough, he could not move. When he saw her figure come through the other door, he knew it was late and all he could do was to step forward and show her where he had put ointments, bandages and everything he could gather for her to clean her wounds.

"It was all I could fetch. I believe, however, you have what it's necessary to clean most of the wounds."

She eyed him with curiosity and followed his fingertips from the small box to back into the pocket of his coat again. For him, she sure might have looked as a scared rabbit.

"Why?" she whispered as she walked to sit down on the bed. " Why are you doing this for me? Is it pity? Is it because Kanryuu asks so?"

He turned her back to her, making his way to the door. He could hear her breathing, still waiting for an answer. Protected by the darkness of the long corridor, he turned his face to her.

"Takeda says nothing to me regarding to you; I wanted to help, that's all."

She wasn't sure if he had seen her smile. " Thank you anyway then…"

He did not reply. It was not needed, she thought. He closed the heavy wooden door as he passed.

He sunk his fingers into his hair as he braced himself against the wall on the corridor. He wanted to do something to help her. Hadn't Takeda ever noticed that smile? Or maybe all that he had wanted from her were her tears. Aoshi knew he should not put himself in the middle of whatever happened between that woman and Takeda but he felt he could not help´, he was completely into it and he knew once he had started something, he could never, should never step back.

XxXxXxXxXx

It took me such a long time to write the last page… I was so busy to do it, finally I managed. This last part was totally written under the influence of Closer, the movie.

Thanks to each one of you out there who's reading this fic. I'll try not to take years to update anymore.


	5. Doom

Betrayal

Betrayal

Chapter Five- Doom

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

WARNING: This chapter contains violence and some coarse language.

XxXxXxXx

Midwinter, end of the month.

Day rose calm and still. There had been two days without snow already. However, the fields kept its thick white layers untouched.

Before the woman had the chance to emerge from her bed, she heard a knock on her door. Her both eyes rounded in response to the knock and shortly after that, a muffled voice spoke.

"Megumi-san?"

"Yes" she replied drowsily.

"You must not leave the house today. Better, you must not leave your room today until a second warning."

It was Hannya, the masked man of the Oniwabanshuu.

"May I ask why?" she raised the voice so he could clearly hear her.

"It is not safe, Megumi-san."

Still in bed, she knew he was gone. Although it was not possible to hear his footsteps, the silence proved there was nobody else at her door.

As expected, there was no hot water for her to bathe. Looking around, there was not much to do after washing her face, changing and brushing her hair. Only a couple of books she had already read over and over. She opened the window but the wind was freezing despite the blue sky. Watching carefully, she spotted people outside, probably coming from the garden, from the front gate. As her bedroom window was in the side part of the house, she could only wonder what was going on. Among many unknown men, she saw Takeda, dressed in one of his many white suits, followed by the tall handsome man, Shinomori.

Captive in her own room and not even knowing why, she started to feel hungry. The house was in absolute silent, the only noises were coming from outside. It was strange nobody had brought her any food. Even when Takeda punished her, a maid always came later to bring her some food.

Megumi walked back to the window and saw the man were still outside, she just could not see what was exactly happening. She also saw when Shinomori went apart from the group and seemed to walk inside the house.

Megumi ran and opened the door. As she had suspected, there seemed to be no living thing inside. Remembering Hannya's words, she made sure to look everywhere before proceeding to the kitchen. Every room and corridor she passed was the same: empty.

The kitchen was also clean and empty. It was totally strange that she spotted no maid there that time of the day. It was already 3 in the afternoon as she confirmed on the great clock that lied in a corridor.

Megumi turned her back to the door and started searching for something to eat into the cabinets. She heard steps and when she turned back, there were two men she had never seen before right before her. By their outfits, she could swear they were some kind of bandits or wanderers. But how would they come in, anyway?

One of them moved towards her, his pants soaked with snow. He smelled bad as if he hadn't taken a bath for a week or more. She backed up but the other man, dressed in rags, also started to come towards her.

"Oh, beautiful thing we just found here, uh, mate?" the first man smirked to the second one, showing his awful teeth.

"White porcelain, well-dressed, smelling too good. Way better than any food and gold we could get from here, Hirosaki…"

Her eyes rounded and her hands tried to find anything behind her that she could threaten those men with.

Megumi felt like puking when she saw those pair of hands coming to touch her and then, a gush of wind threw her behind; her vision seemed to have blackened. Then, the sound of something hitting the wall with great strength and a scream of pain.

"Get out of here right now if you care for your lives." A demanding, calm and deep voice said.

Shinomori.

The one called Hirosaki was struggling to go on his feet again. He had landed flat on the marble floor of the kitchen. The other man had just backed up and coiled against the wall, near his mate.

"I recommend you leave this estate immediately. Do not even think of enlisting."

In complete fear, the two men nearly crawled fast through the door.

Megumi blinked several times. "Where had that man come from?"

He turned to her, his brown twitched together, his calm face showing his fury, his blue eyes burning.

" And you" he grabbed her by her shoulders-" what are you doing here? Weren't you told to stay into your room? What if those two men…" he did not continue.

She eyes him straight in his eyes, totally caught under his grip.

"I was hungry" she kept her voice firm. " And if you hadn't come, I would have known how to defend myself, thanks."

Aoshi frowned. Not only she was not showing gratitude but she also seemed offended. He let go a breath but did not release her. His hands were encircling her frail shoulders covered with light blue silk.

For some moments, they remained like that, as if they were talking through their eyes. Her cinnamon eyes never broke contact with his blue ones and his eyes seemed to go calmer, his features came back to normal and, eventually, he did not grab her shoulders with the same furious intensity.

"I would fetch you food." He said coolly.

"So it seems I am here to be saved by you every time, Aoshi-san." She threw her head behind, making her long fine hair float momentarily in the air.

His touch was so weak she could barely feel his fingers on her anymore. If she had wanted, she could have stepped behind and been free from him.

"It seems so…" he agreed.

Eyeing him through long lashes, her red lips parted to speak as she slowly lifted her head again.

"And, if this seems to be my fate, why would I run away from my savior and show no gratitude?"

His touch now was almost a caress, an embrace. Megumi lifted her arms and encircled his neck slowly, barely touching his shoulder.

And one could not tell if it was him who kissed her or her that kissed him. In no time, she felt his cold fingertips on the side of her face, near her ear and his bangs touching her face in feathery caresses.

When their lips parted, he still kept his eyes on her face, as if memorizing the features he had just now seen so close of him. After a while, he removed his right hand from her face, his left arm let go of her waist and she stepped away with a smirk.

"Does… it show you my gratitude?" she placed her fingers on her kiss-swollen lips.

"And you still mock and joke with me, Megumi-san" he said, trying not to sound bitter.

"Me?" she giggled "This is not a joke and I would not dare playing you fool."

"Anyway, I believe you were told not to leave your room because it would not be safe for a woman to walk alone around here today."

She braced herself on the wall, right across from him. " And why should I fear when I have someone like you with his eyes on me?"

He frowned slightly when he realized the smile curving her lips. " How can you be so sure I will be around and how do you know I am here to protect you? What if I were one of those men?"

"You?" she laughed, throwing her head back, just like she had done while in his arms moments ago. "You would not be so rude, it is not of your personality to do this kind of things."

He arched a fine brow to her. " And you believe you know my personality?"

"Well, you had many chances to take advantage of me already." She retorted.

"And…" he paused and walked in circles near the door " that kiss that happened now, wasn't it kind of taking advantage of your condition?"

"No." she replied quickly. " Because…" she nearly whispered " it was not against my will."

He stopped walking. And looked at her. Her face could tell him many things at that time but he preferred not to read any.

"I guess I still owe you for saving me in past occasions…"

He did not turn to look at her again. What was she trying to do? Was she so starving she had started talking nonsense?

"I think it is better you gather whatever you want from the kitchen. I will have Beshimi walk you to your room." He said before vanishing through the door.

She giggled when he left. But her hands also came to her lips, thinking about the brief contact they shared with his very lips.

XxXxXxXx

After that, she did not dare to leave her room when she was not told to. Beshimi would do her the favor to bring food and provide water for her baths. He had also told her, from behind the door, that Kanryuu was enlisting some men to do some kind of job and Kanryuu himself gave orders to their Okashira for the Oniwabanshuu to pay extensive attention and care for her well-being.

She sighed in relief. At least she would not have to spend hours in that pretty cold basement producing more drugs. Instead, she made sure to ask for many books to help her spend her almost "free time".

Into her blankets, she was almost asleep when she thought she heard her door being unlocked. She did not open her eyes, it could have only been her imagination since her mind was drifting away as she napped.

However, her eyes rounded when she felt someone crawling over her, inside her blankets. When she opened her mouth to scream, a hand came to muffle her voice and she could recognize Kanryuu's glasses.

"Shhh, my beautiful." He spoke. " I missed you. I am sorry to have locked you here for all these days. But with these many unknown men wandering through the estate… you know, I had to make sure I am the only one who touches you.!"

Megumi bit his fingers and he moaned. A quick slap on her cheek came fast as a response to her "manners", as Takeda loved to repeat.

"How dare you!" he groaned, sitting over her hips. His hand then came to her face and he squeezed her cheeks, making her look at him.

"I do everything for you and all I ask is for you to be only mine. I'd disgust you forever if you did not fulfill this only wish I've asked you."

Although it was dark and only the light that came from the outside lighted the room, he could see her eyes burning wish fury.

"Oh, would you disgust me forever then?" she whispered.

The man looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean with that?" noticing that seconds had passed and instead of words, she had a smirk well placed on her lips.

"I asked you what the hell you mean with that, Megumi!" his voice went up several levels.

But she did not answer him. The smirk still lingered there, making a perfect match with that look of defiance she now showed him.

"Don't…" his eyes rounded. "Do not tell me you… and another man." A vein popped on his forehead.

The answer did not come this time. She ran her tongue on her lips to moisturize them.

"YOU WHORE!" he exploded. "I GIVE YOU EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING YOU WANT, I TREAT YOU SO PRECIOUSLY FOR YOU TO BE ONLY MINE AND YOU BETRAY ME!!"

She knew his screams could be heard all over the empty mansion. His hand went to her throat and pressed it.

"Go…" she gagged. " Kill me and you…" she coughed " will have nobody…""to produce…"

He let go of her throat but laid several slaps on her both cheeks. " You dirty, you… filthy bitch, betrayer." He then stopped hitting her and grabbed her by her hair, pulling her out of the bed.

"You never wanted me in your bed…" he continued while dragging her through the corridor.

For her dignity, she decided she would endure. If she could trust the eternal disgust he had only told her he would feel, that meant the end of the assaults, he would never touch her again.

"You never wanted me in your heart." Kanryuu spoke through his teeth.

They were now going down the staircase. "Instead of giving your lips to me, of giving yourself to me, the person who most wanted you…"

Another dark corridor and she recognized the door he was leading her to: the basement. The heavy iron door was already unlocked and Kanryuu opened it with a kick. The door hit the wall and the noise was absurd. He then threw her inside and she landed over one of her worktables.

Still dizzy, she was forced to stand up. He had gotten chains and was now putting them around her writs. He then lifted the chains and put them on a hook connected to other chains. Just as if she were a prisoner.

She shook her head to the other side, recovering from the temporary dizziness. She was not sure, she thought she had seen tears in his eyes. Not that she pitied him, no, that was just the opposite.

" You betrayed me in the vilest way of all. I shall never forget, you bite the hand that feeds you. Now…" he grabbed her face again " you are going to tell me the name of the one you have been fornicating with."

" It is none of your business." She answered, her arms stretched and her hands chained above her head.

"Oh, it is" he increased the strength. " I want to know wh-"

"You resemble nothing like a man" she mocked " you ARE insignificant, you do not know how to please a woman, you are nothing…" his hands slid to the side of her face, covering her ears. " I know any man out there, these new men you have been trying to _protect _me from is better than…"

She did not complete her sentence. His fury had increased so much that he hit her head against the stone walls of the basement.

He stepped behind and watched her unconscious form, her face starting to swell and blood in her lips.

" STOP IT, STOP IT!" he screamed. "You make me lose my mind, you are my disgrace, you demon."

He locked the basement and ran upstairs, breaking whatever he could find in his way.

XxXxXxXx

After gathering information about the men in his estate, and putting apart Oniwabanshuu- they were trustworthy and aside from Aoshi, none of them would be attractive to Megumi, but Aoshi was cold enough not to be drawn to her light- he had made up his mind on who could have been the dirty one Megumi had betrayed him with. He was sure that could only be with a rather good looking young man he had employed about one month ago. Other of his fellows also assured Takeda they had already seen the young man saying things about the "beautiful one who lives in the mansion".

"You." Kanryuu grabbed the young man by the collar of his clothes. "Did you think you would have her and nothing would happen?"

"What?" the young man asked, his eyes rounded to see Kanryuu holding a fire gun. " I don't know what you are talking about, Takeda-sama!"

Kanryuu pointed the gun to the man's head and made him walk outside. Other men started to gather around, curious, to see what was going on.

In the middle of the year, Kanryuu stopped and made the other man stop too. Still holding him by the collar, he shot the man in the neck.

The other men were all around, trying to figure out why the man had been killed.

"This is what happens to traitors here in this estate. Don't you, any of you, dare to think of making me fool for I AM NOT" he screamed at the top of his voice.

She raised her eyes to see who was coming inside. She let go a breath when she saw Takeda coming in, looking triumphant. He walked near her with a big smile on his face.

"Do you see this?" he asked " It is blood. Blood from the bastard that was fucking you."

Her eyes widened. He had killed someone. Someone who was not even guilty for the lie she had told him to be free from his assaults. But there was nothing else she could do except watch him leave and hear him lock her up again.

xxXXxXxXxXx

Phew.

Thank you readers. I hope I did not shock you! Teehee


	6. Daydream

Betrayal

Betrayal

Chapter Six- Daydream

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

WARNING: This chapter contains violence and some coarse language.

XxXxXx

Aoshi realized he hadn't seen or heard of Megumi the past days. He actually had intentions to know what had happened to her but Kanryuu had kept him extremely busy and he actually had to spend two nights away.

At nightfall, after he had bathed and changed, he heard a knock on the door. Hannya came in.

"Before traveling, accompanied by Shikijou, Takeda told me to go to the basement and retrieve Megumi-san from there. Should I go or you'd rather send someone, Okashira?"

Aoshi's eyes narrowed. He could send Hannya to do what Takeda requested but then it would not quench his curiosity. As an excuse, he had already assigned Hannya for other affairs previously.

"No, Hannya. Go back to what you were doing. I will take care of this myself."

"Takeda mentioned something about her having a romance with another employee who he already killed." The masked man stated.

Aoshi nodded.

Hannya bowed and then left after delivering a key on the table.

Immediately after the other man had vanished, Aoshi lifted his body from the armchair and rushed to the basement.

All doors were locked but Hannya had left a key. He could have picked the locks, but using the key made more sense that time. However, his senses told him where Takeda had kept her: in the same cell where she used to "work". He felt his blood running faster in his veins and then he felt it freeze when the door was finally open.

In the complete dark, he could see her figure. He made his way to light the lanterns to see her better.

Chained by the wrists, unconscious. He knelt in front of her and touched her face. Dry blood and bruises.

"What did he do to you?" he whispered. She was breathing slowly but it made him feel better: at least, she was alive. But he knew Kanryuu would not dispose of her in such a way. He needed her skills in order to make money.

Aoshi unchained her carefully and put his own coat around her before leaving.

He placed her on his bed for it would avoid carrying her to the other side of the house, to her own room, meeting people along the way. Besides, it would also be easier to provide hot water and medicine.

When the bath was ready, he lifted her and carried her to the tub. Only into water, he undressed her. Now, he could see well the bruises around her wrists, on her knees and toes. But the most bloodied were her hair and face. Always holding her neck, he got a damp clean piece of cloth and started cleaning her face carefully. The swelling on the right side of her cheekbone, the blood on her chin… her lips, dry and cracked. He noticed that sometimes she tried to come to, she would move her eyelids for brief whiles and then stand still again. He took special care of her beautiful hair, making sure it was now rid of any kind of dirt and blood.

He wrapped her body into soft towels and brought her back to bed. That time, he knew, dinner was already outside the door, on a tray left by a maid. He brought the tray inside and sat by her side on the bed, holding her upright, making sure she would not choke on the soup and tea. She sometimes frowned during the process and he had the feeling she would open her eyes any moment. Putting more logs into the fireplace, he made sure his bedroom was warm enough for her.

Then, he worked in combing her hair, drying it with the help of a towel and taking care of her cuts and bruises, wrapping bandages around her wrists and a small one on her forehead.

Aoshi pushed a brown leather armchair near the fireplace and then sat there with Megumi in his arms. She was light and her skin was getting warmer and with better colors. He sighed.

She fussed and cracked open her eyes. The ceiling was different and she now felt warm. Every muscle in her body hurt. Her head was resting against something solid. Focusing more her eyes, she saw a chin and suddenly the beautiful features of Aoshi's face were clear to her. She nearly jumped but his arms were around her, preventing her from falling.

He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What…" she sounded confused.

"Do not worry. You are safe."

Noticing she was naked, she blushed violently. Realizing that, Aoshi added.

"I did not do anything to dishonor you. I just washed the dry blood and dirt from your body."

She did not know what to say and merely mumbled "Thanks".

"May I?" he asked and she understood he intended to lift her from his lap.

"I think you'd better stay in bed now you are warm enough." He said, making his way to the bed with her in his arms. She never protested and behaved quietly. After covering her, his hand lingered on the hem of the blanket for a second and it was enough for her hand to meet his. His eyes immediately focused on her face.

"You… are so kind."

He looked away but did not retrieve his hand from under her touch.

"I am just doing what I was told to."

She smiled, turning her head so she could feel the smell that came from his pillow.

"I am sure Kanryuu never told you to be this gentle with me." she tightened the grip on his hand and she suspected he had also blushed slightly that time.

"You need to rest."

Her fingers slid on the back of his hand.

"With you around, nothing bad could disturb my sleep."

He needed to go out and he did so the moment she let go of his hand. Strangely enough, he did not have strength to deliver himself from her touch. When he closed the door and walked into the corridor, it seemed the air had changed. Opening the first button of his shirt in attempt to breathe in, he leaned against the wall.

" It is consuming me."

XxXxXxXx

Worn out, she had slept well and when she woke up, the day was bright and white outside. A change of clean clothes had been placed on the armchair and there was food by the table. Her legs were weak but she had managed to wash up and she was trying to force them to walk when someone opened the door. It was him.

He did not speak but she could feel his eyes on her. He assisted her in her walk around the room, always silent. Then, he helped her sit on the bed.

"I see you haven't touched the food."

She stretched her hand in front of his eyes, showing her fingers.

"See? They are still trembling. I was waiting for it to stop."

He sat by her side and retrieved the tray. She did not protest when she saw him lift the hashi and bring it towards her mouth. Instead, she opened the mouth and behaved as a good kid while being fed up. She realized he never looked at her face while in the process.

" I suspect that, If you don't eat, your hand will not stop trembling."

"Why is it? You could have sent any of your men to watch over me, why bother?" she asked, making him stop the hashi for a while.

He breathed in and forced the last morsel of food into her mouth. She still waited for any kind of answer.

"You lied to him." He stated, changing the subject.

Megumi frowned. Only then he looked at her and, at her confused look, he completed:

"You had no lover."

She frowned more. "How dare you say I am lying?"

"Because", he continued patiently, "I know every step you give into this house and even out of here."

Her eyes rounded.

He reached for a handkerchief to offer her to clean her lips. She merely refused his offer, turning her head to the other side.

"I will not tell Takeda and ruin whatever plan you have, you do not have to worry about that."

Seeing that no words would make effect on her, he decided to do it himself. He leaned over her and pressed the handkerchief against her lips, earning him a puzzled look. She, at first, reacted but gave in when she felt the soft fabric touch her lips. And then she froze. He moved his hand with such delicacy not to hurt her lips.

At the end, the handkerchief fell and his bare fingers touched her lips. Lingering for a couple of seconds, he felt something in his stomach when she closed her eyes slowly.

"You…" he mumbled. Shaking his head, he withdrew his hand but both her hands held his in order to stop him.

"No." she said.

That time, he was the one that looked puzzled. And his amazement increased when she lifted his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing his fingers.

"I like you." She whispered.

"But we cannot…" he said, looking away from her.

She let go of his hand and he sighed, almost in relief. But, for his surprise, she held his face, making him look at her. Her face was too close, dangerously close.

"We can." she blew the words into his face.

That was too much. He pulled her near him and she kissed him. His hand sunk deep into her hair and she ignored the fact that her body hurt and now, she suspected her trembling was for other reason than being help up in the basement.

XxXxXxXx

The smell of his skin, of his damp hair, the softness of his lips, the gentleness of his hands, the light in his eyes when he looked at her. Was it a dream?

She raised her body as if awakening from a nightmare. Her eyes scanned the room but she did not need to search much. He was right there, his back turned to her, sat on the edge of the bed. Realizing her abrupt move, he looked behind.

"I… thought you were… gone." She said, burying herself into the blankets.

"Why would I?" he replied, walking to the other side of the room and placing a book on a shelf and rapidly opening another one.

She giggled. At the sound, he lifted his eyebrows and walked towards his bed. She only watched him carefully, her brown eyes reflecting him.

He bowed over her, dropping kisses on her forehead and cheeks.

"You know this is betrayal." he mumbled.

"And do you care?"

He stopped, his both hands on her shoulders, sounding too serious.

"Now he is out with Shikijou but he will come back shortly. I care for what could happen. He can do little against me. I worry about what could happen to you."

She shook her head, making her hair float in the air.

"Fear not. You see, this is the worst that could have happened to me." she showed him her bruised wrists. "He won't kill me for he needs me."

"I would not like to know he laid a finger on you." He tightened the grip on her shoulders.

"You are in charge of his defense; you are in charge of me. He trusts you, otherwise, he would not have designed you for such task."

"I do not like betrayal…" his eyes pierced her.

"Against him, under these circumstances, it is not that bad at all."

He bowed, his mouth too close to hers. His hands slip from her shoulders to her waist, to the tie of her yukata.

"If we go any farther, I won't be able to stop." He said looking deeply into her eyes.

"So… don't stop."

And she claimed his kiss. Yes, it was as good and passionate as she remembered before falling asleep.

XxXxXxXx

It was too bright outside and he had forgotten to put the curtains all together. There was a crack that allowed light to enter and blind him.

"You know he is supposed to arrive tomorrow."

He looked at her. Her eyes had been shut but she opened them immediately when she heard his sentence.

"I wish you would not bring up such marvelous subjects so early in the morning." She stirred into his arms.

He frowned. He had been serious, yet, she teased.

His right hand came to stroke her hair.

"It is serious, Megumi. This is your last day here in this room, you have to go back tomorrow."

She closed her eyes and let out a breath.

"It seems you want me far from you…" she pouted.

He brought her closer so that her face rested on his chest.

"Never. But you know the way things must go from tomorrow on."

"Yeah…" she stated vaguely, moving her head to look at his face.

She looked at him for minutes as if trying to decipher something in him. He did not say a word. It had been so precious to stay there locked inside his room. A mix of mystery, suspense and passion. He loved to be surrounded by him, only by him, by his things, his clothes, his books. It did not even seem she was in that very mansion where she had suffered so much.

"I wonder how many women have fallen for these blue eyes of yours." She crawled over his body until she reached his lips.

However, a knock on the door caused her to jump.

"Okashira?"

Aoshi immediately stood up, leaving her on the bed. He walked to the door but he did not open it not to expose himself and the lady.

"Yes, Hannya?"

"He, Takeda, sent Shikijou back with a message. He is arriving in no time and he is going to a village nearby soon after with you. He sent Shikijou first so that when he arrives, you have already packed."

"Thank you, Hannya. Is that all?"

"It is, Okashira."

Aoshi waited by the door until he knew Hannya was gone. He turned to Megumi whose face was not good.

"He is…" he looked away, to the wardrobe.

"I heard." She interrupted.

The woman had already dressed and was now fixing the bed.

He walked to her and touched her face.

"I have to go. You will return to your room. I will tell Hannya to watch over you."

She nodded, mentally cursing Kanryuu for stealing her precious moments of relief and happiness into that house.

Megumi sat on the bed and watched carefully as he dressed and then packed. In the end, he got his sheath and placed it under his trench coat.

They both left the room and he accompanied her to her own room. That time in the morning, the employees were busy with other things. And it was snowing, the cold weather let everybody lazier.

"Take care." He told her after kissing her under the threshold of her bedroom.

"You too." She smiled and watched him go.

He never looked behind. When she could not spot him anymore, she entered her bedroom and closed the door.

The few days she spent recluse in his bedroom… she wished they would have never ticked on.

The woman walked to the window and watched Aoshi go up on a horse and then leave, crossing the gates into the snowy woods.

XxXxXx

Both knelt on the bed. Her hands unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the skin of his chest.

He thought she would withdraw at the sight of the many scars he bore, some thin, others not that much. But she did not. Her fingers caressed every inch of his chest, her lips kissed each scar as if she was telling him they were part of him and she loved them for that. He sighed.

He had seen her scars too and her recent bruises from being beaten up. If only he could make them disappear… he undid the tie of her yukata and she breathed in. His hand crawled under the opening and made it fall flat on the bed.

Aoshi opened his eyes. That was not an appropriate time to dream about her, about what had happened between them. The carriage was taking him back to the inn after having dealt with one of Takeda's enemies. The man had made clear he would break through the estate and his main worry was for her safety… that was the reason he had killed him without even blinking. He did not want to imagine such a pig putting his dirty hands on her.

He seemed too be growing softer or at least passionate when it came to her.

Aoshi stepped out of the carriage and made his way through the corridor till he reached the bedroom he was staying in. Before entering, he shook his head, sensing that Takeda was inside. When the door swung open, the other man jumped from the cushion he had been sitting.

"Oh, so fast, Aoshi!"

"There was no reason for me to take longer." He stated while getting his sheath from under the trench coat and then placing it over a low table. "I just do not understand why you needed me here. Shikijou could have handled this himself."

Takeda walked past him, making his way to leave.

"Besides being the most skilled man and the coldest one I've ever heard of, you do the job without leaving clues and without dirt, if you understand me. And you are the last person someone would suspect of. Not with this face of yours… as for Shikijou…" he closed the door behind his back.

Aoshi rubbed his right eye and then his hand slid over his face. " Bastard."

xXxXxXxXx

She was bored. In winter she really had not much to do. She supposed she had already read all the books on the library and the weather was not so good for her to shopping in town. And she knew Hannya was hidden somewhere watching over her.

That afternoon, she had been walking around the living room for many whiles. Through the glass door, she spotted when the men opened the gate and Takeda's carriage crossed the pathway and stopped in front of the house. Her heart jumped when she saw he was the first to get out of it and was followed by Takeda.

She just did not know what to do. The most reasonable thing to do was to run to her bedroom for Takeda was possibly mad at her but the sight of Aoshi seemed to have rooted her feet to the expensive carpets that decorated the place.

Takeda was the first to come in. When he opened the door, a stream of cold air blew into the living room and it seemed to have frozen her smile.

The man in the creamy suit frowned and did not stop to talk to her.

"Do not think this smile will buy me, woman." He stated.

But, in his ignorance, Takeda hadn't noticed her eyes were beyond him, they were on the taller man dressed in black. Her small, shy smile and her display of happiness were for him solely.

Aoshi passed by her, heading to the opposite side of the house as if he had not seen her smile. However, when Takeda was out of sight, he turned his head to face her and she felt her heart warm when she looked into his blue eyes.

Left alone, she ran upstairs to her bedroom. A couple of minutes later, she heard a light knock on her door. She frowned for a moment. Could it be Kanryuu? But he usually bathed for long minutes after arriving from a trip.

"Yes?" she asked behind the door?

No answer came. Puzzled, she opened the door slowly. Before she could blink, she was taken in strong arms and pressed against the heavy wood door. His black hair still kept some snowflakes.

He pressed his cold lips against hers and she could not protest. She actually longed for that with all her soul. The longer they kissed, the tighter was his grip on her and the more he pressed her against the door, even lifting her with his own body.

When his lips were warm, he stopped. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was panting.

He bit his lip for short moments only to lay various kisses along her jaw and neck afterwards.

"You are making me lose my mind, Megumi." He said among kisses.

"Now tell me you don't like it." She teased.

With her legs around his waist, he moved on and carried her to bed.

"I? I adore every little moment…" he kissed her naked shoulders.

She grabbed his hair, pulling it a bit, making him look into her eyes.

"I have fallen for these blue eyes of yours… and I never thought a man could be so gently and loving."

He undid the bed and covered them with blankets both for the cold and not to expose them.

" You are still a mystery to me, Megumi." He said with a muffled voice.

"Mystery?" she laughed. " Then, come and decipher."

XxXxXxXxXx

Later, in his own room, his blood ran faster when he remembered her words. He had never treasured such words in his life. Her sweet husky voice, almost a whisper, telling him she loved him just she before closed her eyes was echoing in his head and warming him soul.

Aoshi opened a drawer and saw, among others, a folder with her name on it.

" Megumi." He tasted her name. He knew he could know every little details about her by only reading up Hannya's research but deciphering her, finding out who she was by himself was much more pleasant.

XxXxXxXx

Thank you for reading and reviewing! I promise this is not going to take 300 chapters like Until The Dark. And I suppose I have answered who reviewed privately… if I have not, my mistake, I am sorry! I am getting old, you know!

;)


	7. Damnation

Betrayal

Chapter Seven- Damnation

By Larissa Hyuga

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

WARNING: This chapter contains violence and some coarse language.

XxXxXx

The snow was falling heavily that morning. The pond was frozen, the herbs, the plants, the trees. The fire crept in the fireplace in attempt to make the room a bit warmer.

She sneaked out of bed and roamed across the bedroom. She could hear the sound of running water just behind the wall. Pulling the neck of her yukata to her throat, she approached a table. There were lots of sheets of paper, envelopes and folders on its top. Everything was neat though.

Curiosity stroke her when skimming. Megumi thought she had seen the first syllable of her name. Her fingers worked fast in locating the folder in which she read "Megumi". With her heart beating fast, she opened it and read, there was her full name, birth date and place and a very detailed summary of her life.

"What are you doing?" his voice echoed cool behind her.

Startled, she let the folder fall. He was quick not to let it reach the floor. Aoshi looked at the object he now had on his hand and half smirked.

"Now I can't blame you for going through my things." He placed the folder back on the table.

She blushed heavily.

He ran a hand over his hair and turned back to her. "And what do you think? Is it accurate?"

She thought he would be mad at her for prying into his documents but that did not seem the case. She nodded and added: "Very."

He sat on the armchair near the fireplace, got a sheet of paper and started folding it.

"So Hannya's still the best." He shifted his eyes to her on the other side of the room. " If there is anything you did not want me to know, do not worry for I haven't heard the report." He added.

She looked puzzled. " You haven't?"

He shook his head, his hands still working on his folding. " No, not even a line. I expected to find everything out myself."

Megumi smiled. "There are many embarrassing things regarding my person but these ones you have already seen and known." Her smile died into a sigh.

He finished the arcane and laid it on the low table near the lantern. She frowned for a moment after looking at the origami.

"I must go now." She whispered.

Aoshi watched her disappear through the door into the hallway.

XxXxXxX

He was around the dining room when Kanryuu told her to eat in the kitchen for he didn't want to see that mourning face of hers. He watched her pass by him, her downcast eyes, but she headed downstairs instead.

After that, Takeda summoned him to the library to talk about something he could not really have a dim recollection of. His thoughts were elsewhere and he suspected Takeda had done something to let her so miserable.

When he thought he had already drunk enough and needed to sleep, Takeda told Aoshi their meeting was over. Aoshi hid on the shadows and made sure the other man was really sleeping. Silently, he headed to her bedroom. Since the she did not respond to the light knock on her door, he decided he should try to see if it was unlocked.

The light from the lantern was dim and he saw her on the floor, the wardrobe was open and she had a small lacquered box by her side.

Aoshi walked towards her and whispered: " What has he done to you?"

Only then the woman turned her face to him. He could easily see she had cried, her eyes were red. Then he looked around her and saw an ivory comb, a colorful piece of clothing, some sheets of paper bearing different handwritings and a paper crane.

"He?" she frowned, "Takeda? Nothing."

He crouched to keep eye contact. Nevertheless, she took her eyes off him. Silence lingered for some seconds.

"These are all I have from my childhood." She showed him the objects he had seen the second before. She started keeping everything back into the lacquered box. She returned it to the wardrobe and walked to him as if asking to be held. He did so.

"You said you hadn't read that file, so you can't know I read there my whole family is dead." She said and then sighed.

He tightened his grip around her. Her voice was muffled but she kept talking.

"I know it's been years but I couldn't help hoping to meet any of them again."

She shifted into his arms to look at his face, her both hands on his chest.

"Please, Aoshi, tell me there is a slight chance what's that is wrong."

He didn't know what to say that time, mainly when her eyes were so desperate.

"Come." He led her to bed. "Rest your head for now."

She obeyed him but he knew she want even thinking of what was happening. He covered her with a blanket, fed the fire and heard her sob. He went back to her side, stroked her hair and watched her eyes go from desperate do drowsy and they eventually closed completely. He knew she had understood his silence. It was unnecessary to say any other word because it would just hurt her more. He made his way back to his bedroom almost praying for Hannya's report to be wrong to be mistaken although deep inside he knew Hannya had always been amazingly accurate on his investigations.

Aoshi lit the lanterns and rushed to the table. The folder with her name was easily found just where he had placed that day. He opened it and read:

"_Takani Megumi, 21 years old"_ (almost 22, as he could notice by the birth date)_, "Birth Place: Aizu, Physical Description…"_

His eyes read fast the paragraph about her life in Takeda's estate for he knew pretty much about it and jumped to the second page where he read "_early life: only daughter, two brothers, mother and father. Doctors. Fire. Takani. Kanryuusai, boys, mother, dead."_

He stopped. There were even the causes of death and the approximate date. Her father died that same day she went missing. Her mother was taken to a whorehouse but died from tuberculosis that same year. The older brother was killed in the woods while trying to flee from the group that enslaved them. The younger brother was made into a servant and died a few years later, probably from being beaten or from starvation, or both.

Aoshi read the lines several times, his eyes round with shock. She was the only Takani alive.

Later that night, he lied on the bed but he could not sleep. He was deeply tormented by what he had read. He tossed and turned and found, on the folding of his blankets, her hairpin, the one she was wearing early that day just before all hell broke loose.

In the morning, Hannya knocked on his door. " Okashira?"

The bedroom was pretty cold. He had forgotten to feed the fire and it had been gone many hours ago. He opened the door and faced the masked man.

"I have already sent Beshimi." Hannya stated. He realized that the Okashira wasn't really paying attention. His eyes were different, his unbreakable armor seemed to have been, at least, scratched. He did not know if he should ask anything though.

Aoshi walked in circles, gazing into nothing. Just when the other man was leaving, he spoke.

"Hannya, is that report on Takani Megumi correct?"

Under the mask, the man frowned and thought for some seconds before answering.

"Yes, Okashira. I have conducted all the investigation myself and I assure you every single word I wrote there is the most absolute truth", he paused. "Do you have any reason to doubt it, Okashira? If so, let me know, I ask."

Aoshi opened the door that led to the small bedroom and got in.

"No, I do not. Thank you." He closed the door behind his back. He filled his hands with cold water and threw it on his face. He lifted his blue eyes to the mirror.

"What have I done?"

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

She had her breakfast alone. Her head hurt badly. Then, she headed to the dungeons walking around looking for him. Later that morning, a maid came with a tray and left it on a table. After having lunch, she took her time to go to his bedroom. For her surprise, the door was locked. She knocked but there was no response. It was strange: he was always there that time of the day. She walked the corridors back to the kitchen. Through a window, she spotted Hannya outside in the snow giving directions to a couple of employees but Aoshi was nowhere to be seen.

Megumi spent one week waiting for him but he did not go to her. She did not know if she should keep any hope to see him that day.

There was a glass flower on the floor, right in front of her door when she made her way to leave. She retrieved it and placed it on the top of the dresser. As always her eyes were restlessly searching everywhere for the sight of him.

Nevertheless, it was Takeda who she met at the end of the staircase.

"Did you like my flower?" he asked when she passed by him. He grabbed her arm to make her look at his face.

"I know it. I know it and you do not deserve it but I am too good, Megumi. We are celebrating your birthday today."

That time, she saw Aoshi coming through the front door.

Never mind she had an answer to Kanryuu. The sight of him made her forget anything she had in mind. Her heart pumped and she wondered if Kanryuu had felt it on her veins as he had a tight grip on her arm.

"We?" she eyed Takeda for a moment just to shift her look to Aoshi.

Aoshi made mention to leave but Takeda told him to stay.

"I have invited a few people, friends, to come and have dinner tonight. Be ready at six." He let go of her arm and walked towards Aoshi.

"How was the trip?" Takeda asked walking away with the other man.

Megumi realized he had not looked at her but he usually did not when Takeda was around. She decided she would just wait for him that day.

It was a short day as usual as the late days of December. It was certain her clothes had been chosen for her as Takeda always did anytime he wanted to showoff in front of his guests. It was a dark blue velvet dress that time. Always one of those western dresses Takeda valued much. Long sleeves, lace and cleavage.

She dressed up with great boredom and headed downstairs. Aoshi was standing by the end of the staircase. Blood rushed and she knew she blushed when his blue eyes covered her uncovered skin. It was Takeda, however, who came to her and reached out for her hand.

There were two men, both of them older than Aoshi and Kanryuu. There were also four young women. She had never seen any of them. The men looked at her in delight.

"What a pretty thing you've got there." The one in a grey suit stated.

Kanryuu giggled. " I know."

Megumi realized Aoshi had withdrawn to the back of the dining room. Takeda invited all of them to the table, including Aoshi. Before anyone could sit, Kanryuu grabbed a flute of champagne.

"It is my dear Megumi's birthday. A toast to her beauty and grace."

She rolled her eyes. Everyone chatted cheerfully except for her and Aoshi, of course. The four women laughed loud and slipped cherries into champagne and then into their mouths. One of them could not stop staring at Aoshi. Megumi almost choked on her dessert when she put her hands on his shoulders and whispered something into his ear.

Takeda laughed. "He is always very serious and quiet, my dear. You won't get anything from him here and now."

The woman pouted and protested. Megumi thanked heaven nobody realized her mortified semblance.

Kanryuu stoop up and that indicated the dinner was over. He turned to Aoshi:

"It would not hurt giving in to one of these four beauties…"

Aoshi never answered. He just imitated everyone else and stood up. The woman walked near him and rested her head against his arm. Her dress revealed a whole lot, Megumi thought. She saw Aoshi mumbling something like "no, thanks" and the woman shot him an offended look.

"And isn't _this_ beauty joining us?" on of the man asked Takeda about Megumi. Takeda show him a strange look.

"Megumi? No way. I am the only one who can touch her." He completed with a sarcastic grin.

He then turned to Aoshi.

"Aoshi, follow Megumi to her bedroom."

Getting closer to him, he whispered. " And make sure nobody gets near her room."

Aoshi nodded and then followed the woman upstairs. She felt him behind and heard him whisper.

"Don't."

Only then she looked downstairs to see Kanryuu looking at her, following her with his eyes. When they turned a corner and could no longer be seen, she let out a breath.

"That woman… she was courageous enough to make a pass at you in front of everybody, how could that be?" Megumi hissed.

"But I think he did not get anything or he wouldn't have told you to bring me upstairs, right? " she continued.

"Aa."

She opened the door and went in, he looked to the side and went in as well, closing the door behind him.

"And you? I missed you all these days!" she eyed him.

He had his back firmly pressed against the door. She removed her gloves walked to him.

"You're silent. Is Kanryuu keeping you so busy you don't even have time for me anymore?" she teased, her hands messing up his hair, contouring his jaw line then.

"Do I smell like champagne, is that it?" she asked remembering he did not drink anything with alcohol.

Megumi entered the bathroom and came back a few seconds later. Her eyes noticed the small parcel on her bed.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"For your birthday." He spoke softly.

She unwrapped the package and found a handkerchief inside.

"It belonged to your father."

Her eyes rounded and she stood up immediately. Her eyes shifted from him to handkerchief in her hands.

"How? How is it possible? Do you know him? Did you see him? Did you meet him? Is there any chance I …?"

"Unfortunately, not. He's gone as you read yourself, I am sorry."

She closed her eyes and pressed the thin fabric against her heart. Only then he approached her and stroked her hair.

"How did you?"

"Not today though. There's nothing one can do about it, it's past already. Furthermore, it's your birthday and I am not going to tell you sad stories on such day."

She eyed him passionately before placing her head against his chest. She smiled when she heard his heart beating faster.

Her lips turned to his chest and she stood on the tip of her toes to reach his lips. Instead of kissing her on the lips, he laid a timid kiss on the top of her head and his hands separated them.

"Aoshi, he won't come tonight, you know."

He turned his back to her and his hand lingered on the knob.

"I know." He mumbled over his shoulder.

"So… stay tonight."

He opened the door and she watched him heavy-heartedly.

"Forgive me, Megumi, but I cannot."

She sat on the bed and her voice sounded sad.

"It's the second woman you turn down tonight."

He glanced behind, her lean figure on the bed, his temptation was enormous.

"Good night, Megumi."

XxXxXxXxXxX

" He's avoiding me." she said to herself on the mirror while combing her hair before going to sleep.

Megumi had waited for other two weeks after her birthday. He rarely showed up during meals and never visited her bedroom again. She was now Beshimi's responsibility, not his anymore.

That day during lunch she stared at him so much that Kanryuu asked her what was so interesting on the wall behind his back. Of course it was a blatant sarcastic remark for he knew Aoshi stood there most of the times.

She nearly screamed the other morning when she saw Kanryuu entering the carriage followed by Shikijou and not Aoshi. From the window, she could see Aoshi heading back to the front door.

She rushed down the staircase mot minding being noisy.

"I need to speak." she voiced loud enough to make him and the maid who had been dusting look at her.

The brief silence made the maid bow before them and leave. Megumi approached him.

"Not here."

He frowned slightly. " At the library at the first floor then."

He followed her stoically and closed the door.

"What's going on?" she asked, "why don't you even look at my face anymore?"

As if to deny her accusation, he looked at her face.

"Is it because you think Kanryuu suspects of something?"

Still, he did not answer.

"Oh, hell, Aoshi, say something!"

He sighed.

"Takeda has nothing to be suspicious of since there is nothing for him to be suspicious of." He cleared his throat.

She felt as if he had punched her in the stomach.

"What? What do you mean??

He faced her and his eyes were piercing and cold and his voice sounded like a blizzard.

"There is nothing between the two of us. Not anymore."

Her eyes rounded and she felt her face burn.

"Are you out of your mind? Weren't you who told me there would be no turning back once you undid the tie of my yukata?"

"You don't have to tell me the words I once said, I remember them all."

If she could, she would hurt him, she wanted to slap him, to punch, to kick, to scream.

"So how dare you say that to me?"

He realized her clenched fists but he knew there was no other way for things to go.

"You…" she threw her hands on his chest, hitting him with all her strength, "You're far worse than Kanryuu. You're a damn jerk and I was in love with you."

He did not dodge not stopped her. He let her scream at him, punch him, say whatever she wanted. He pretty much deserved.

She screamed at him until she felt so suffocated she told him to leave and never show up before her again. Megumi heard the door being shut.

She threw herself on an armchair and decided she would not cry. It wasn't worth it.

XxXxXx

A big THANK YOU to everyone reading, adding to favorites or following this story one way or another. I try to reply everyone I can through ffnet reply service. If I forgot to reply someone's comment, I am sorry, I surely read it and appreciated. To the ones who are not logged/registered, I must also thank through here, you are all super!


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